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on: Friday, 05 September 2008 07:26
on: Thursday, 04 September 2008 20:47
on: Thursday, 04 September 2008 19:02
on: Thursday, 04 September 2008 15:42
on: Thursday, 04 September 2008 14:44
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QUOTE (Dominique @ Apr 12 2008, 10:59 PM) *
Hi, I'm Dominique, I just became a member, and wanted to introduce myself. This is the first time I've ever made a post in a forum, they always seemed intimidating to me I suppose, I'm feeling good about finding "Depression Forms" though. I can tell already there are warm, kind-hearted, and understanding people on here, and the whole vibe of your community feels safe, and supportive.
So...I thought it would be good to join this community ..... and I look forward to getting to know people here, and connect flowers.gif
Peace and hugs.....Dominique
(Dominique)
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Depression & Mental Health FAQs
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated 40 million Americans living today will suffer from major depressive illness during their lives. Seasonal affective disorder is major depression that appears in the fall or winter and goes away in spring, thought to be caused by lack of sunlight.
Postpartum depression occurs within four weeks of a women giving childbirth. Most new mothers suffer from some form of the �baby blues.� Postpartum depression, by contrast, is major depression, thought to be triggered by changes in hormonal flows associated with childbirth. Catatonic depression is a rare form of major depression characterized by (at least two): Stupor, excessive motor activity, extreme negativism, peculiarities in voluntary movement, and repetition of other people's words or actions. - mcmanweb.com
Psychotic depression is a rare form of depression characterized by delusions or hallucinations, such as believing you are someone you are not and hearing voices.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 18.8 million American adults, or about 9.5 percent of the US population age 18 and older in a given year, have a depressive disorder. Depression is a chronic illness that exacts a significant toll on
America's health and productivity. It affects more than 21 million
American children and adults annually and is the leading cause of
disability in the United States for individuals ages 15 to 44.
Lost productive time among U.S. workers due to depression is estimated
to be in excess of $31 billion per year. Depression frequently
co-occurs with a variety of medical illnesses such as heart disease,
cancer, and chronic pain and is associated with poorer health status
and prognosis. It is also the principal cause of the 30,000 suicides
in the U.S. each year. In 2004, suicide was the 11 th leading cause of death in the United States, third among individuals 15-24.
According to the World Health Organization, depression is presently on track to becoming the world's second-most disabling disease (after heart disease) by the year 2020. Depression is responsible for some $87 billion a year in lost productivity in the US (a conservative estimate), and according to Bank One, is responsible for most lost work days in its employees after pregnancy and childbirth. Additionally, one million people worldwide die by their own hand, most as a result of a mood disorder. Finally, the linkage between depression and a host of physical illnesses makes it arguably the world's greatest killer.
Research presented at the 56th Annual Conference of the Canadian
Psychiatric Association shows a marked link between bipolar disorder
and migraines. The odds of migraine in persons with bipolar disorder were 40% higher than the general population. Data
obtained from 36,984 people aged 15 and over, who screened positive for
manic or depressive episodes with migraine, were compared against those
who screened positive for mania but who didn�t suffer from migraines. Amongst
males, 14.9% of those with manic episodes were also diagnosed with
migraines compared with 5.8% of the general population. Amongst
females, 34.7% had both migraines and bipolar disorder compared with
14.7% who only had migraines.unquote.gif While the research was
skewed towards persons who were already diagnosed with bipolar
disorders, what does it mean for people who suffer from migraines but
who may have an undiagnosed bipolar disorder?
Migraines and headaches aren�t fully understood but the manifestations are very real and debilitating for their sufferers: Throbbing pain Nausea Heightened sensitivity to light or sound Seeing dots, wavy lines, flashing lights, or blind spots Difficulty with speech, sensation, or movement
An estimated 2.1 million
American adolescents have experienced major depression within the last
year, according to a new comprehensive government study. Researchers
surveyed more than 67,000 young people ages 12 to 17 and found that one
in 12 had suffered from serious depression in the previous year.Nearly
13 percent of girls had struggled with depression, compared to less
than 5 percent of boys. Odds of depression increased with age -- just 4
percent of 12-year-olds experienced depression but that climbed to 11
percent for older teens.
Our DF Members
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Supplemental New Drug Application For RISPERDAL(R) CONSTA(R) Submitted To The FDA For The Treatment Of Frequently Relapsing Bipolar Disorder
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Supplemental New Drug Application For RISPERDAL(R) CONSTA(R)
Submitted To The FDA For The Treatment Of Frequently Relapsing Bipolar Disorder 
16 Apr 2008
Alkermes,
Inc. (NASDAQ: ALKS) announced that its partner, Johnson & Johnson
Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD),
submitted a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for RISPERDAL®
CONSTA® [(risperidone) Long-Acting Injection] to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) seeking approval for adjunctive maintenance
treatment to delay the occurrence of mood episodes in patients with
frequently relapsing bipolar disorder (FRBD).
FRBD is defined as four or more manic or depressive episodes in the
previous year that require a doctor's care. The condition may affect 10
to 20 percent of the 27 million people with bipolar disorder
worldwide.1,2
The sNDA is based on results from a recent study comparing patients who
received RISPERDAL CONSTA and standard treatment to those who received
standard treatment combined with placebo. The study found that patients
with FRBD had a significant delay in the time to an initial relapse
when RISPERDAL CONSTA was combined with standard treatment. The study
was presented at the 14th Biennial Winter Workshop on Schizophrenia and
Bipolar Disorders in Montreux, Switzerland on February 3, 2008.
RISPERDAL CONSTA was approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in the
U.S. in 2003. RISPERDAL CONSTA is marketed by Janssen, Division of
Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., in the U.S. and is
manufactured by Alkermes.
RISPERDAL CONSTA is the first and only long-acting, atypical
antipsychotic to be approved by the FDA and now is approved in more
than 80 countries worldwide. The medication uses Alkermes' proprietary
Medisorb® technology to deliver and maintain therapeutic medication
levels in the body through just one injection every two weeks.
Available in 12.5 mg, 25 mg, 37.5 mg and 50 mg dose units, RISPERDAL
CONSTA is approved for the treatment of schizophrenia. For more
information about RISPERDAL CONSTA, visit http://www.risperdalconsta.com.
About Bipolar Disorder
It is estimated that 27 million people worldwide suffer from bipolar
disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder. It is characterized
by debilitating mood swings, from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows
(depression). Signs of mania include euphoria, extreme irritability or
rage, accelerated or disorganized thinking and an increase in risky
behaviors. Signs of depression include intense sadness or despair, loss
of energy, insomnia and suicidal thoughts.
Approximately 10 to 20 percent of patients with bipolar disorder seen
in mood disorder clinics are identified as "rapid-cycling" and have had
four or more episodes during the previous 12 months. The types of mood
episodes (manic, depressed, mixed) seen in these patients can occur in
any pattern. The course of their illness is characterized by a
requirement for more healthcare resources, more concomitant medications
and poorer outcomes.
Important Safety Information For Risperdal Consta
Elderly Patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with atypical
antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death compared to
placebo. RISPERDAL CONSTA (risperidone) is not approved for the
treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis.
In a study of people taking RISPERDAL CONSTA, the most common side
effects in the treatment of schizophrenia were sleepiness,
restlessness, tremors and muscle stiffness, stomach upset,
constipation, dry mouth, feeling tired and weight increase.
High blood sugar and diabetes have been reported with RISPERDAL CONSTA
and similar medications. If the person being treated has diabetes or
risk factors such as being overweight or a family history of diabetes,
blood sugar testing should be performed at the beginning and throughout
treatment with RISPERDAL CONSTA. Complications of diabetes can be
serious and even life threatening. If signs of high blood sugar or
diabetes develop, such as being thirsty all the time, going to the
bathroom a lot, or feeling weak or hungry, contact your doctor.
Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is a serious, sometimes permanent side effect
reported with RISPERDAL CONSTA and similar medications. TD includes
uncontrollable movements of the face, tongue, and other parts of the
body. The risk of developing TD and the chance that it will become
permanent is thought to increase with the length of therapy and the
overall dose taken by the patient. This condition can develop after a
brief period of therapy at low doses, although this is much less
common. There is no known treatment for TD, but it may go away
partially or completely if therapy is stopped.
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a rare and potentially fatal
side effect reported with RISPERDAL CONSTA and similar medicines. Call
your doctor immediately if the person being treated develops symptoms
such as high fever; stiff muscles; shaking; confusion; sweating;
changes in pulse, heart rate, or blood pressure; or muscle pain and
weakness. Treatment should be stopped if the person being treated has
NMS.
RISPERDAL CONSTA should be used cautiously in people with a seizure
disorder, who have had seizures in the past, or who have conditions
that increase their risk for seizures.
RISPERDAL CONSTA and similar medications can raise the blood levels of
a hormone known as prolactin, causing a condition known as
hyperprolactinemia. Blood levels of prolactin remain elevated with
continued use. Some side effects seen with these medications include
the absence of a menstrual period; breasts producing milk; the
development of breasts by males; and the inability to achieve an
erection. The connection between prolactin levels and side effects is
unknown.
Some people taking RISPERDAL CONSTA may feel faint or lightheaded when
they stand up or sit up too quickly. By standing up or sitting up
slowly and following your healthcare professional's dosing
instructions, this side effect can be reduced or it may go away over
time.
Inform your healthcare professional if you become pregnant or intend to
become pregnant during therapy with RISPERDAL CONSTA. Also, tell your
healthcare professional if you are planning to breast-feed.
RISPERDAL CONSTA may affect your alertness or driving ability;
therefore, do not drive or operate machinery before talking to your
healthcare professional.
Some medications interact with RISPERDAL CONSTA. Please inform your
healthcare professional of any medications or supplements that you are
taking. Avoid alcohol while on RISPERDAL CONSTA.
If you have any questions about RISPERDAL CONSTA or your therapy, talk with your doctor.
About Alkermes
Alkermes, Inc., a biotechnology company committed to developing
innovative medicines to improve patients' lives, manufactures
RISPERDAL® CONSTA® for schizophrenia and developed and manufactures
VIVITROL® for alcohol dependence. Alkermes' robust pipeline includes
extended-release injectable, pulmonary and oral products for the
treatment of prevalent, chronic diseases, such as central nervous
system disorders, addiction and diabetes. Headquartered in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, Alkermes has research and manufacturing facilities in
Massachusetts and Ohio. For more information about Alkermes, visit http://www.alkermes.com.
Certain statements set forth above may constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Although the company believes that such statements
are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge
of its business and operations, the forward-looking statements are
neither promises nor guarantees and the company's business is subject
to significant risk and uncertainties and there can be no assurance
that its actual results will not differ materially from its
expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, among others,
decisions by the FDA relating to the recently submitted sNDA for
RISPERDAL CONSTA for the treatment of FRBD. For further information
with respect to factors that could cause the company's actual results
to differ materially from expectations, reference is made to the
reports the company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The
forward-looking statements made in this release are made only as of the
date hereof and the company disclaims any intention or responsibility
for updating predictions or financial expectations contained in this
release.
Medisorb is a registered trademark of Alkermes, Inc., VIVITROL is a
registered trademark of Cephalon, Inc. and RISPERDAL CONSTA is a
registered trademark of Janssen-Cilag.
References
1. The Global Burden of Disease. World Health Organization, 2003. Available here, accessed March 20, 2008.
2. DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Association, 2000.
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Comments 
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Depression Forums would like to hear from you!
Mental illness affects one in seventeen Americans. However, in this country alone, funding for mental health
facilities is dropping drastically and the care for the mentally disabled.
When the people who need those facilities have no where to go, they end up overcrowding emergency rooms.
Depression Forums would like to hear from you!
We would like to invite you to PM Forum Admin to share your story about your Depression or Mental Health issues as breaking the silence will help us to break open the stigma surrounding mental health that keeps people from getting the care that continues misunderstandings about those affected by mental health disorders.There is nothing better than to speak out, tell your story get the word out!
Together, we can help ourselves and others. Your stories would appear right here on DF's Portal.
Please PM Forum Admin for more information or to submit your story.
Sincerely,
The Depression Forums Administration Staff
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Depression & Mental Health FAQs 2
What is Clinical Depression? Clinical
depression can affect your body, mood, thoughts, and behavior. It can
change your eating habits, how you feel and think about things, your
ability to work and study, and how you interact with people. Clinical
depression is not a passing mood, a sign of personal weakness or a
condition that can be willed away. Clinically depressed people cannot
"pull themselves together" and get better. Depression can be
successfully treated by a mental health professional or certain health
care providers. With the right treatment, 80 percent of those who seek
help get better. And many people begin to feel better in just a few
weeks.
Depression a Big Factor in Poor Health World Health Organization Finds Depression Often Goes Untreated By Salynn Boyles WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Sept.
6, 2007 -- Depression has a greater impact on overall health than
arthritis, diabetes, angina, and asthma, but it all too often goes
unrecognized and untreated, a report from the World Health Organization
(WHO) suggests. more... Depression a Big Factor in Poor Health
For Additional Information About Depression Write To: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 8184, MSC 9663 Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
For free brochures on depression and its treatment call: 1-800-421-4211. or visit: http://www.nimh.nih.gov
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